USF finally notches first victory of season

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After dropping two more close games this weekend, the USF baseball team finally broke through with its first win of the season Sunday — but it didn’t come easy.

Michael Eaton and Ryan Matranga each drove in two runs as the Dons used a late explosion of offense and then held on for dear life to beat Utah Valley 7-6 in the Lobo Classic at Albuquerque, N.M.

Tied 1-1 entering the seventh, USF (1-10) took the lead with two runs in the seventh, taking the lead on Manny Ramirez Jr. — yes, the son of former major-leaguer Manny Ramirez — single.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Eaton had a two-run double and Matranga followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season, to give the Dons a 7-1 lead entering the ninth.

Utah Valley (2-7) put together a rally in the ninth and pulled within 7-6 after back-to-back bases-loaded walks, but Anthony Buonopane induced a game-ending grounder.

“It was big to get a win,” USF coach Nino Giarratano said in a statement released by the school. “We’ve got to take them one game at a time. It was good to take the pressure off of us.”

CAL 6, KANSAS STATE 2

Junior right-hander Ryan Mason scattered five hits over seven innings as the Golden Bears beat the Wildcats in Game 3 of the four-game series at Evans Diamond.

Sophomore center fielder Aaron Knapp went 3-for-3 with an RBI, while junior right fielder Devin Pearson went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs to pace Cal.

The series concludes today at 10 a.m.

RICE 12, STANFORD 1

Austin Orweiler allowed just three hits over 7 2/3 innings and the Owls (8-5) used a potent offense to gain a split of the four-game series with the Cardinal (6-6) at Houston.

Rice, which pounded out 15 hits, scored three runs in the first inning and put the game away with six more in the sixth. Stanford’s lone run came in the third inning when Alex Dunlap doubled home Matt Winaker.

CAL STATE LOS ANGELES 5,
SAN FRANCISCO STATE 4

Despite scoring four runs with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Gators (4-10, 3-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association) fell to the Golden Eagles (11-4, 6-2) to split the four-game series at Maloney Field.